The North Dakota Academy of Family Physicians held their 58th Annual Meeting in Grand Forks, ND November 1-2, 2013.  The following physicians were elected to these offices:

                The following officers were elected and installed:

                        President -                     Hayley Svedjan Walz, M.D., Grand Forks

                        President – Elect -          Kamille Sherman, M.D., Dickinson      

                        Vice President -              David Field, M.D., Bismarck                   

                        Secretary/Treasurer -     Jeff Hostetter, M.D., Bismarck

                        Chairman of the Board of Directors – Robert Wells, M.D., Jamestown

                Newly elected members of the Board of Directors for three year terms are:

                        Aaron Garman, M.D., Beulah
                        Kimberly Krohn, M.D., Minot
                        Bradley Braunagel, M.D., Fargo

                Also serving on the Board of Directors are:

                        Charles Nyhus, M.D., Harvey

                        Josh Deere, M.D., Grand Forks

                        Lisa Jamsa, M.D., Wahpeton

                        Heidi Philpot, M.D., Grand Forks

                        Derek Wayman, M.D., Devils Lake

        Mandy Sorlie, M.D., Jamestown

In addition, the North Dakota Academy of Family Physicians Foundation held their annual meeting at the same time.  The following physicians were elected to serve in the following offices:

        President – Kimberly Krohn, M.D., Minot

        Vice President – Charles Breen, M.D., Hillsboro

                Also serving of the Board of Directors are:

                        David Field, M.D., Bismarck

                        Rup Nagala, M.D., Oakes

                        Charlie Christianson, M.D., Grand Forks

                        Richard Vetter, M.D., Fargo

The following awards were presented at the Annual Meeting as well. 

Friend of Family Medicine – Roger Schauer, M.D. Grand Forks

Roger Schauer, MD from Grand Forks was selected as the 2013 Recipient of the Friend of Family Medicine Award.  Dr. Roger Schauer has worked diligently for the North Dakota Academy of Family Physicians and for the specialty of Family Medicine for over 30 years.  He has been an outstanding teacher of family medicine in both the clinic and academic settings.

Dr Schauer has been an active teacher of family medicine since he first entered practice at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, ND in 1974.  He received his first academic appointment with the UND School of Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor in 1979.  In 1991 he was promoted to Assistant Professor of the Department of Family Medicine.  In 1992 he left his practice in Hettinger and became Director of the Family & Community Medicine Clerkship, a position he has held for the past 21 years. He also served as Coordinator for Phase III and V of the medical student’s education at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences from 1992 to 1998.  He has been involved in multiple small groups and other educational experiences for medical students throughout his career.  He has also served on multiple committees for the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences, including the medical school Admissions Committee since 1994.  In 1996 he was promoted to Associate Professor of the Department of Family Medicine which is the academic appointment he still holds today.  Dr Schauer was instrumental in the planning and implementation of the highly successful ROME (Rural Opportunities in Medical Education) program and has served as its director since 1998.

Dr. Schauer has been an active member and leader for the North Dakota Academy of Family Physicians.  In 1986-1987 he served as the President of the NDAFP.  The following year he completed his leadership term as chairman of the board of directors.  Since 1991 he has served as an ex-officio member of the NDAFP Board of Directors.    He was the recipient of the North Dakota Family Physician of the Year award in 1990.  He has served as Co-Editor of the Family Medicine Quarterly since 1992.  He has served on the NDAFP Foundation Board of Directors since 1998 and now serves as Chairman of the NDAFP Foundation where he has provided very strong leadership as the Foundation’s assets have grown significantly in recently years.  He has been an ever-present contributor at our annual meetings and other activities since before any other active NDAFP member can remember.

Dr. Schauer has also worked diligently outside of the NDAFP to further the ideals of Family Medicine.  He has served on various committees and held offices at both the district and state level of the North Dakota Medical Association.  He has served as a peer reviewer since 1991 for various journals including “Family Medicine”, “Postgraduate Medicine” and the on-line journal “Teaching and Learning in Medicine”.  Dr. Schauer has also promoted the ideals of family medicine through his involvement and leadership in various community activities including the Grand Forks Kiwanis Club since 1992, his church and other community organizations.

Dr. Roger Schauer has been instrumental in Family Medicine in North Dakota and truly deserves this honor. 

ND Family Physician of the Year – Kwanza Devlin, M.D. Minot

Dr. Kwanza Devlin, M.D., from Minot was selected as the 2014 ND Family Physician of the Year at the yearly NDAFP meeting in Grand Forks.  Dr. Devlin exemplifies the best qualities of Family Medicine physicians.  She provides the full spectrum of care from birth to death.  She loves “catching babies.”  She does home visits and has a nursing home practice.  She admits and follows her own patients in the hospital and has a thriving clinic practice.  She is fluent in Spanish and takes care of several Spanish speaking families who would have more difficulty accessing care for their complex issues if she were not their physician.

Dr. Devlin has been sharing her love of family medicine by teaching and mentoring residents and students at the UND Center for Family Medicine Residency for the past two years.  She volunteers evenings at the Ward County Free Clinic.  She is an instructor for the ALSO (Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics) course.

Dr. Devlin manages the Community Medicine rotation for the residency program and has maintained contacts with the many community service organizations in Ward County.  She is a deputy assistant county coroner for Ward County.  Last she pioneered the SHARPE (Student Health and Risk Prevention Education) program where residents partner with a local school to provide monthly healthcare related activities.  This also provides the students and the school with a physician contact for questions and support.

Dr. Devlin has amazing energy.  She greets students, residents, colleagues and patients a beautiful smile and the warmth of her personality.  She is a wonderful recipient of the ND Family Physician of the Year Award.

Should you have any questions concerning this information, please contact Brandy Jo Frei, Executive Director at 701-772-1730.